Gipsy Dino

Can any one shed any light on this car. Having recently bought it I am would like to know a little more. I am unable to post a picture

I have seen a thread on the forum where is suggests that the car might have been a modified Dulon, but I am advised Dallara Built/Designed the car

Kind regards

Jim Morris

On behalf of Luigi Moreschi and Romano Martini ( known as "Shangrila) Italian racing firm Autocostruzioni GIPSY built this fabulous race car in 1971, constructed by Dallara, with the aim to take part at the 1000 km at Monza in the Prototype 2000 class. The engine is based on a 2 litre Ferrari Dino engine, fed by a Lucas racing- injection system, giving a power output of approximately 220-230 HP. The engine is mated to a Hewland FT 200 gearbox with several ratio possibilities. The car started at Monza in 1971 and after several further outings - namely at the N�rburgring in 1972 - the car was then regulary raced in Italian hill climbs

Have been trying to find a car built by Dallara in the early 70s called a Gypsy Dino. Beautiful open top group 6 sports car. Was sold by Coys twice about 5 years ago have tried to track it down but with no success. Anyone know anything about it

Can't help at all, Jim, but congratulations on at last achieving your ambition.

Can any one shed any light on this car. Having recently bought it I am would like to know a little more. I am unable to post a picture

I have seen a thread on the forum where is suggests that the car might have been a modified Dulon, but I am advised Dallara Built/Designed the car

Kind regards

Jim Morris

On behalf of Luigi Moreschi and Romano Martini ( known as "Shangrila) Italian racing firm Autocostruzioni GIPSY built this fabulous race car in 1971, constructed by Dallara, with the aim to take part at the 1000 km at Monza in the Prototype 2000 class. The engine is based on a 2 litre Ferrari Dino engine, fed by a Lucas racing- injection system, giving a power output of approximately 220-230 HP. The engine is mated to a Hewland FT 200 gearbox with several ratio possibilities. The car started at Monza in 1971 and after several further outings - namely at the N�rburgring in 1972 - the car was then regulary raced in Italian hill climbs

As far as I know, the car was built by Giancarlo Guidetti (not by Gianpaolo Dallara) and the Dino V6 engine was prepared by Scotti.
"Shangri-là" (Romano Martini) drove the car in Italian hillclimbs and in the Nürburgring and Hockenheim 1972 Interserie races.

In the mid-1970s other Gipsy sportscar were seen in Italian hillclimbs, one of them was fitted with a 3-litre Ford engine (a V6 Capri?) and was driven by one Sandro Cattaneo.

As far as I know, the car was built by Giancarlo Guidetti (not by Gianpaolo Dallara) and the Dino V6 engine was prepared by Scotti."Shangri-là" (Romano Martini) drove the car in Italian hillclimbs and in the Nürburgring and Hockenheim 1972 Interserie races.

In the mid-1970s other Gipsy sportscar were seen in Italian hillclimbs, one of them was fitted with a 3-litre Ford engine (a V6 Capri?) and was driven by one Sandro Cattaneo.

Alberto Rastrelli, author of "Sport & Prototipi Italiani 1958-1977", credits the Gipsy to Giancarlo Guidetti. He does not mention Dallara at all.

Giancarlo Guidetti came to the UK in late 1970 with a V6 Dino block and gearbox commissioning Dulon to make him a chassis to fit the box and engine. I believe this was the template for the Dulon DL10

Bill Longley contacted me some time ago and tells me that once they had completed the chassis he drove it and a few parts on an open trailer to Italy. He saw the complete car for the first time last week since delivering that chassis back in 1971.

I think the initial “ Dallara hype” came from Coys in their Auction details as I did contact Dallara and he had no knowledge of the car, the only association being Parma the same district that Dallara are located! Which I am led to believe is where Guidetti was also based.

The history I have researched indicates that the car was entered for the 71 Monza 1000Ks but collided with one of the works Alfas in qualifying breaking the car in two, and the driver of the Alfa I understand was Nanni Galli who may have broken his hand in the impact. Neither car started the race. Judging by the damage and subsequent repairs to the chassis during the rebuild this is probably correct. Luigi Morechi also confirms this and still has some of the spare bodywork they made for the car.

Keith Martin has been invaluable in helping to have parts re-made for the car in particular the rear hubs and flanges .

Keith Martin has been invaluable in helping to have parts re-made for the car in particular the rear hubs and flanges .

Jim

Jim: Keith just sent me this:

Information from Andy Duncan and Bill Longley (who paid a visit last week):

The Jim Morris car is/was the one commissioned by Giudetti. Bill designed the basic chassis and suspension, Andy took the chassis out to Italy and stayed to oversee construction. We (Andy and I) have identified the chassis number. Bill thinks that Dallara at the time was a mechanic for the team in Italy, hence the tenuous connection. Although the car looked good at the show it has required quite a bit of rework underneath, carried out by a team based a t Cranfield near to us. Jim and I have helped one another with engineering details and information etc.

We have also identified ours as the unfinished car to Group 6 spec. which went to Germany following an advert in Autosport in Dec. 1971. It has had a variety of engines in its life.

I have remodelled the front of ours to be more like Jim’s and the original styling of the LD10 series. Effectively ours is now a copy of Jim’s car.

My name is Paolo Cassoni, I worked the main part of my life as site manager for major public works but I’ve been a fan of racing since a was born (in 1967 I raced in hill climbs) and, since I’ve read some mistakes about Dino Gipsy birth, I’d like to share the real story of this car
In autumn 1971 my friend Giancarlo Guidetti asked me to design a sport prototype for the incoming world championship brand

In one month I designed the chassis, the suspension, the radiators positioning, the intake manifolds and some other important particulars built into my friend’s Gianni Brignoli mechanical workshop placed in Parma. In the meanwhile Guidetti rent an hangar near Milan (Cologno Monzese) where the car was set up

I’ll list some info about the car:

Gipsy CP.4/P.272 – sport prototype engine with Dino V.6, gearbox Hewland, injection system Kugelfisher (Porsche boxer 6 cyl.) with new intake manifolds designed by me for Dino V6 (the model was produced by Camattini, Parma)

Main sponsor: Mr. Rankl Aigner (who had a shop in Florence managed by a friend of Shangri-La) with “Etienne Aigner” brand easily recognizable by the horseshoe (the same appeared on Clay Regazzoni’s helmet in 1973).

In 1972 Gypsy Dino was driven on Nurburing race for about 22km when a damper broke at Karousel, later on Hockenheimring the piston rod come out from the alluminium engine block.

Thereupon Guidetti sold the car

In 1973 Gipsy Dino with Cattaneo participated and won the hill climbs Bormio-Stelvio

Then I have not heard anything

Since I worked for free on this project I’d like at list to be recognized as the designer of this car as I think it was a good project for that time and I’m quite proud of it

Gipsy was my 4th project, in 1963 I projected a formula junior (CP.1) build by F.lli Vecchi near Parma but unfortunately an accident deprive me of the race satisfaction

Another project was the CP.3 (Ford Formula) built in Parma by Mr.Bernini

CP.X means Cassoni Paolo project number

I’d like to thank you for the attention, this forum and Autosport for giving me the opportunity to make some corrections.